Card chargebacks

Please read this topic from the top and you will find the answers already posted to 1 and 2. Most debit cards have the same protections as credit cards these days, but not 100% of them. For certainty contact your card issuer.

If you had to get a chargeback on a purchase it would be because of a problem with the merchant. Would you want to keep patronising?

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@noodle, on your last question on charge back implications. There should be an investigation between your side, the issuer, and the providers side, the acquirer.
If the Merchant objects and raises a defense to the charge back, then it could be reversed and come back again as a charge on your account when you may not be expecting it.

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Here I was thinking it was ‘question suggestions for the article’. Thanks for your feedback!

I bring it up, just because it came up in another place I frequent regarding telcos and prepaid charge-backs getting a blacklist for prepaid phone users.

I have an acquaintance going through a charge-back investigation and it seems hell. Thanks for the reply!

Apologies for the misunderstanding.

Saimi. A great and hugely important topic to investigate and report on. Hope you are able to provide some easy to understand and compare info about which cards offer it and key terms and conditions, especially how long after a transaction it can be used and with what types of problems. Hope, also, that your results are widely publicised to better inform consumers about chargebacks.
Agree strongly with another poster’s recommendation to check transactions online and not wait for a statement.
I have not used chargeback myself, but want it to be there if I ever need to. So, Choice needs to continuously monitor, and move to counter, any attempts by businesses to reduce or prevent its use by consumers.

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This may not be relevant, IE not a ‘request for a chargeback’ - TMB (Teachers Mutual Bank) have contacted me to query certain transactions. EG donations at tax time. And were first to notice that my card was hacked last year. They are very proactive and easy to deal with. We actually feel ‘safe’ with this fin institution.

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I tried months ago with 2 travel companies that had cancelled travel due to covid,westpac declined saying that as I had been offered credit to travel in the future I am not allowed to do a charge back.
when I get time out from helping others,i will be going with a new bank!!!

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You will possibly find that other banks which issue the same card would have provided the same response.

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As @phb implied most banks have fairly consistent standards based on Visa, Mastercard and Amex standards.

If you change bank/issuer because of the charge back response, you might discover you are no better off and possibly worse off. If you chose to change banks it should be on the basis of benefits offered in the new account/card, not just because you are unhappy with your knocked back charge back request.

If you wish to make your point by ‘walking’ that is understandable, but do it with eyes wide open, with realistic expectations on where you are ‘walking’ to.

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Hi Saimi

I had a successful chargeback with BOQ Visa and it took about 5 months. I bought Thai airways tickets via Travel Agency and filed under “Services not received”,. I provided evidence of payment, evidence that the TA agreed on a full refund, and evidence that Thai airways suspended all refunds due to bankruptcy proceedings. The TA disputed my chargeback pointing out their T&C but they were not strong enough compared to my points. I also pointed out that the TA was part of the AFTA scheme which protected them from chargebacks if Thai went bankrupt. My TA also failed to initiate the correct refund back in April for me, they only did it after I initiated the chargeback and discovered that my tickets were still in credit, 4 months later.

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Unsuccessful with AMEX credit card chargeback for Hawaiian airlines business class June 2020 flights purchased through Flight Centre. Initially successful but Flight Centre Port Melbourne contested it and my AMEX credit card was recharged.

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Welcome to the community @Slmadden82

If you have not seen it, you might find some useful information on what has become a fairly long topic,

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@Slmadden82 & @Gobshite

It may well be worth appealing the chargeback reversal with the Credit Card Company. It is the Banks who decide the initial outcomes but Mastercard and Visa at least (Amex may do it also) provide a review process within their organisations if a person is dissatisfied with the Bank decision. You need to contact the actual card company and seek a review through them.

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Thanks for sharing your experiences. And to all the first-time posters: welcome!

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I have been trying to get a chargeback through American Express (Amex). It is for a cruise holiday booked through Luxury Escapes for a very large sum of money.
Luxury Escapes cancelled the trip because of Covid; Qantas couldn’t fly and the cruise ships were all shut down.
We have attempted to get a refund from Luxury Escapes who keep dodging and delaying; just holding on to our money.
I lodged a chargeback claim out of despair from dealing with Luxury Escapes. Amex processed the credit to the account but held in suspense in case it didn’t go through.
Some weeks later, they sent an email saying it was rejected and reversed the suspended credit. They also mailed a big wad of papers submitted to them by Luxury Escapes claiming that they had offered us a credit. They had, and we rejected it because it’s obvious international travel won’t be happening for years and it is too much money to leave sitting in someone else’s hands, besides the fact that we need the cash.
I went back to Amex and complained, advising them that Luxury Escapes can’t avoid the refund under Australian consumer laws. We are entitled to cash, so process the chargeback. They dutifully recorded this over the phone and re-submitted.
A week or so later, they sent an email saying the matter was resolved and the chargeback rejected because I hadn’t submitted any further information, but at the time no further information was requested by Amex.
I have now gone back to them again, re stating the issue and the law. Awaiting the next chapter.
All in all, a very disappointing experience with Amex. Quite stressful thinking that we might lose $22,000. I have used them for all our travel bookings and expenses over the past 25 years, but this will make me rethink whether to use that card again.

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Phone conversations when dealing with these issues are not worth the risk. Whenever dealing with issues of these types it always is the safest and correct option to put the request in writing, an email will suffice and use the receipt function so that a time and date of receipt is recorded for when the email is opened by the receiver.

If the matter goes to Fair Trading or to a Civil and Administrative Tribunal they will request information about what written dealings you have had, phone conversations are not weighed heavily unless the recording/s can be produced. Amex should have made a recording of the conversation and you should be able to request a copy, that may also prod them to re-examine the case.

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Old war story about Amex that may reveal something about their approach to customer service.

About 30 years ago I had a bogus charge for a rental car hired in Florida USA; I lived in Texas and had not been to Florida in years. I disputed the charge and they dutifully removed it from my account while investigating.

Months later they reinstituted the bogus charge and provided the hire company’s evidence that did not have my name, did not have my account number, and did not have my address. Amex’s conclusion was I was the responsible party.

Contacting Amex the ‘customer service’ agent entered my card number and the number on the bogus charge. My account came up both times! The agent could thus not see anything wrong with the bogus charge and concluded it had to be mine. Database errors are not common but happened yet the agent’s position was the computer never lies.

It took another few months before Amexaccepted and then fixed the problem. I never had another Amex card save for when Westpac issued a companion Amex to their own Visa/Mastercard offerings. When the companion cards were dropped I once again bid adieu to any Amex relationship.

I look forward to your having some success.

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Had very successful Chargebacks with CBA so helpful , efficient and Prompt and very very good and couldn’t do enough for you

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Hi everyone,

Here’s a link to the article on chargebacks.

Thanks again for your help!

Best,
Saimi

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